Hello, October! I have three big events happening this month, in between which I’m juggling a lot of different projects at once, so let’s get to it!
First up — October 8–11 — is New York Comic Con, arguably the biggest comic book convention in the nation. I don’t have any official duties at the show, but I’ll be there to support my friends at Marvel at their last hometown con before the company departs for Burbank next year.
Your best chances to see me are on Thursday and maybe Friday or Saturday. If I’m not hanging around the Marvel booth, I’ll likely be checking in with friends in Artist Alley or the Writers Block — or wandering around the rest of the city. It’s been way too long.
The following weekend — October 15–18 — I’m off to one of my favorite gaming conventions: Gamehole Con! I have a full slate of events there, which include three sessions running the Marvel Multiverse RPG. Those are all sold out, but you can also find me here:
- Thursday, October 15
- 5 PM: Setting Design in RPGs: The setting — be it a whole galaxy or a single palace — helps define your game. Setting constrains plot and defines character; it’s what the designer or the GM brings to the table before anyone else sits down. How do you build a setting that’s robust and interesting? Do you alter history or design a whole new world? Kenneth Hite with Matt Forbeck, Bryan CP Steele, Monica Valentinelli.
- 6 PM: Catacomb & Comedians: Comedy crosses swords with Dungeons & Dragons. Catacombs & Comedians presents a live, actual-play D&D show featuring TTRPG creators venturing into a realm of drollery and tomfoolery when they roleplay as an amusing party of intrepid adventurers, and Dungeon Master Dan Taylor, whose goal is to weave a ridiculously effed-up adventure for said unlikely heroes. When the 20-sided dice start rolling on stage, you will be rolling in the aisles as the comedic players make a joke of “The World’s Greatest Roleplaying Game.” Dan Taylor with Sarah Babe, Keith Baker, Matt Forbeck, Ed Greenwood.
- Friday, October 16
- 1 PM: D&D Encyclopedia: Join authors Matt Forbeck, Jon Peterson, and Mike Witwer to discuss the new D&D Encyclopedia published by DK.
- 2 PM: Creating Adventures The Right Way. The history of RPG design has seen some marvelous accomplishments and some less that awesome products. Enjoy a discussion of what we have learned over the years regarding great adventure design. Erik Mona with Matt Forbeck, Greg Marks, Bill Slavicsek, Ed Stark.
- Saturday, October 18
- 12 PM: Building a Long-Term Creative Career in Tabletop Publishing: Tabletop games have grown in both popularity and sales in recent years. Get tips and advice about making headway in the tabletop publishing industry, and ask questions of people who have built careers. James Lowder with Matt Forbeck, Tommy Gofton, Chris Pramas.
- 9 PM: Call of Cthulhu: THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE ELDRITCH, a live Call of Cthulhu actual-play comedy packed with cowboys, cultists, questionable decisions, unspeakable horrors, and whatever other trouble the investigators manage to stir up along the way. Expect eldritch terror, Old West mayhem, and the kind of unpredictable chaos that only happens when dice, players, and ancient unknowable forces are all working against each other. The West was already wild. It’s about to get weird. Dan Taylor with Sarah Babe, Matt Forbeck, John Kovalic, Elisa Teague.
The weekend after that, I’m off to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, for the Chippewa Valley Book Festival. I’ll be at the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library on October 23 at 4:30 PM, talking about my work, especially the Minecraft: Roll for Adventure books.
They’re actually having Minecraft-themed pre-parties earlier in the week — on October 19 and on October 20 — so if you’re in the area, be sure to warm up with those too.
Whew! That’s a lot to type out much less think about. I hope to see you at one of those events, and if not, someplace else soon!
